Wednesday, April 22, 2015

Ten months have since passed since this Mums Sew With Love was initiated at the start of my presidency for Rotary Year 2014/15 with the support of my club members. The idea was to engage single and stay at home mothers and empower them with lifelong skills.

Our co - partner is Pusat Bantuan Sentul, an NGO in Sentul which has several areas of outreach to different sectors of the community. Ms Vicki Singam , the administrator of the Centre was thrilled when the idea was suggested. Several mothers already had basic sewing skills which needed honing; others who had no sewing skills were taught by our dedicated and patient volunteer teachers. With this as the starting point, we decided to embark on a sewing project to reach out to a bigger group of mothers.

There were challenges. How does one light up a total stranger's life ? Economic and time pressures often deter these mothers from participating. A struggling single mum has many personal problems and it can be an additional burden for her to make it to classes to learn sewing. How will a skill like sewing bring food to the table? These doubts often stop them from stepping out of their comfort zone. This is where we step in to provide a friendly environment to upgrade skills and provide moral support.

Word was passed around and we started with a good group of mothers who were curious and showed their desire to learn. Patience and determination and dedicated efforts have paid off. Those at Mums Sew With Love nowcall Pusat Bantuan Sentul (PBS) their home.

We had a wonderful evening for our mothers when they visited our club on 8 October, 2014 for a special get - together. The volunteers were introduced to our new 'charges'. I presented the programe for all to hear with many pictures of our proposed activities and crafts. We are thankful to our fellow Rotarians from R C Kelana Jaya for their sisterly generosity. They had heard about the sewing project and came bearing gifts of two electric sewing machines.To this day, the mothers talk about that special visit and the warm welcome they received.

Another visit to be treasured was that of Rotary International Connection Specialist, Rotarian Mohamed Shedou who graciously agreed to touch base on a special morning visit to meet and interact with the mothers at PBS. This visit was held in conjunction with Rotary International President, Gary Huang's visit to Kuala Lumpur. Our club members and their spouses and our team of mothers were all excited. The room was filled to capacity. So much chatter was heard above the happy whirring of the sewing machines. The mothers showed their skills and worked at their allocated crafts, enjoying the limelight. Shedou's friendly smiles eased their jitters and his genuine interest in the different items boosted the mothers' confidence. As he moved around, he viewed the different products : casserole holders, place mats, table runners, toiletries bags. All of these are made for sale. Our great helper, Friend of Rotary, Jean presented him with one of our most popular items - a casserole holder..

Shedou was impressed by the good stitching. Oh yes,' I interjected,' Our mantra is Always neat and good work!'.

In the short period this project has taken off, it is clear that:

1 Mums Sew With Love fills a void for this sector of the urban women of Sentul area who are poor and marginalized in the community and who often struggle to upgrade themselves their social and economic status.

2. In the urban jungle where the pace of life is harried and hurried, these women have found a place where they can interact socially and learn a skill at the same time. They try their best to juggle the weekly sewing schedule with their part time domestic work which supplies their main income.

3. There has been an increase in the level of self -esteem of the mothers. The volunteers have been rewarded by the mothers' punctuality, good work etiquette and their cheerfulness.

4. Patience and determination to carry out this project has paid dividends. Though each person comes to us with different skill levels, the consistent quality of their finished work makes us proud.

4. PBS can be more than a sewing centre. We intend to create conditions for hope and opportunities to the mothers. We now have short talks on relevant topics e.g. health with the help of Rotarians during our coffee break. These '15 minute conversation starters' serve as great platforms to empower the mothers with knowledge; they add variety to each session and provide an extra interactivity among the volunteers.

The close interaction during the two to two and a half hour sessions allows us to lead as community leaders with values such as self -belief, responsibility, and humility to benefit our beneficiaries. Mind you, these talks also serve as reminders for us!

I am happy to say that our products have been given a HUGE tick of approval by our supporters who have been generous with their comments and cash. I hope more organisations will come forward to support this initiative. Do help us light up lives.

It is our fervent hope that Mums Sew With Love is sustainable in the future.

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A senior member showing the ropes to a new participant in the making of a casserole holder.

Committee members from our partner, Pusat Bantuan Sentul (PBS) in this project graced our 'Getting to know the Mums' evening at our regular club meeting and dinner on 8 October,2014. It was a first time Rotary experience for all of them.

So happy to be here!

The meeting room on 8 October was filled to capacity during our Mums' special visit.

Have a feel of the place mat - the wadding inside gives a soft touch to the lovely item to grace your dining table with a napkin to match.

Place your warm casserole inside. Pull up the sides, knot the cord . You 're ready to carry your food to a housewarming or potluck party ! Forget about plastic bags! It is a popular item as people like the unique look of the batik and practicality.

Our range of items by the hardworking mums. Please call us for customized items.

Assistant Governor ( Group 8), Suki chips in to complete the casserole holder.

Friday, February 13, 2015

Our first stopover from Melbourne to Tasmania was the city of Launceston.We had breathtaking views of Launceston's famous Cataract Gorge and First Basin from the Chairlift. The Central span of 308 metres is believed to be the greatest single span of any chairlift in the world. I was more anxious about my hat flying off and our cameras, as we sat being so exposed.!

Left Launceston for Mountain Valley Retreats. . A real fire to sit by in the evening. after a delicious home cooked dinner by host, Pat. No wifi so caught up with my audio book and it was Beethoven waiting patiently! So for the 3 days we were 'lost' in the valley of Loongana under the Black Bluff Mountain. Time was on our side, so we ventured to the caves, experienced Australian wildlife and the beauty of the Kaydale Gardens - all such great memories to reflect upon.

Our rustic cabin with simple kitchen amenities. Breakfast was all ready in the fridge for the three days we spent there. We were advised to stock up on drinks as we made our way to our destination as there were no shops within close drive to Mountain Valley Retreats. We experienced Tasmanian wilderness; roaming round the cabins were Pademelons and they fought shy of us when we came closer

Out in the wilderness

Our host fed road kills in the evenings, and in the darkness of our room, we watched the Tasmanian Devils come stealthily to eat their dinner. In the evening, we could only watch from a distance the platypuses diving in and out of the water in a river nearby as they foraged for food in the still pools .

From the Cruickshank Lookout, 275 m above the Leven River. Off the beaten track, we got to it via a well equipped picnic area and followed a short relatively easy rainforest walk.

High enough on the viewing platform to marvel at the Leven Canyon below.

Beauties at Kaydale Lodge and Gardens - just an example of the visual delights of this acclaimed 2 hectacre garden. A must for garden lovers.

Award winning gardens at Kaydale Lodge

With the owner's daughter

Gunns Plains Cave is close to Leven Canyon - a fascinating world of caves, sinkholes and underground streams. Is this Western Australia hanging from the roof? Actually I saw the head of a python! Amazing limestone formations, glowworms, underground stream, including one of the Southern Hemisphere's largest shawl formations. Impressive. The tour guide told us concerts are held in the Caves too! He held our attention with so much info told in an interesting manner. It was well worth the visit.

. There were low points requiring visitors to 'bend low'. The pathways were sufficiently lit and not too narrow.